D-Generation X
Encyclopedia
D-Generation X was a professional wrestling
stable in WWE (previously the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment). The group originated in the midst of the WWF's "Attitude Era
" from 1997 to 2000. Their gimmick was that of a gang of rebels
who acted and spoke as they pleased, no matter how provocative.
After its original run with members Rick Rude, Chyna, Triple H
and Shawn Michaels
, the group expanded to become a mainstay of the Attitude Era with new additions X-Pac
, the New Age Outlaws
and Tori
until it disbanded in August 2000. After a teased reunion in 2002, DX reformed in June 2006 as the duo of Triple H and Shawn Michaels for the remainder of the year and again in August 2009 until March 2010, shortly before Michaels' retirement. They reunited at the 2010 Tribute to the Troops for one night only.
in the main event of RAW is WAR. During the match, Triple H and Chyna both interfered on Michaels behalf as the two were feuding with Mankind, towards the end of the match Rick Rude returned to the WWF revealing himself as Michaels bodyguard or "Insurance Policy" after helping Michaels win the match after a chairshot to Mankind. The following week on the August 18, 1997, RAW, Michaels and Triple H teamed up to take on Mankind and The Undertaker, only to lose the match by disqualification after Michaels used a chair on Undertaker. Michaels would eventually face the Undertaker at In Your House XVII: Ground Zero on September 7, 1997, with Triple H, Chyna, & Rude all interfering on Michaels behalf at certain points during the match. Along with then-heels, Michaels, Chyna, and Triple H, Michaels' "insurance
policy", Rick Rude was also an original member of the group. Triple H and Michaels united when Michaels became a villain
after hitting The Undertaker with a chair at SummerSlam
. Initially getting together as allies aiding Michaels in his subsequent feud with the Undertaker, DX officially got together at the One Night Only pay-per-view when Helmsley, Chyna, and Rude helped Michaels win the WWF European Championship
from the British Bulldog
.
On October 13, 1997, the group officially gave themselves the name "D-Generation X" with Shawn Michaels as the leader. Michaels' autobiography suggests that it was then-WWF head writer Vince Russo
who first conceived the moniker for the faction. On-screen, however, the name was taken from Bret Hart
, who claimed that Shawn Michaels, Chyna, and Triple H were nothing more than degenerates. It was also the first time they spoke their trademark slogan, "Suck it!" They were often shown on television practicing sophomoric/crude humor
and rebelling against authority figures in the company, primarily Vince McMahon
(then an on-air color commentator) and then-Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter
, the latter of which DX made a particular habit of humiliating with the group giving him the nickname of "Sgt. Slobber". D-Generation X's first feud
was against Bret Hart and his Hart Foundation. This feud ended at Survivor Series
when Shawn Michaels won his third WWF Championship
via the Montreal Screwjob
, which came about from Bret leaving the company along with two of the remaining three members of the Foundation. The only Hart Foundation member that remained in the WWF, Owen Hart
, continued to feud with DX, specifically Triple H.
"D-Generation X" was later used as the title for a WWF In Your House
pay-per-view telecast on December 7, 1997. By this point, DX's capture of the WWF Championship and European Championship as well as their 'victory' in the feud with the Hart Foundation, solidified their status as the lead stable in the company, with this pay-per-view being representative of that fact. Michaels headlined the event as he was disqualified in a WWF Championship title defense against Ken Shamrock
. Earlier that night, Triple H defeated Sgt. Slaughter with the help of Chyna in a Boot Camp match. On the December 11 edition of Raw is War
(aired December 22), however, the two were forced to wrestle each other for the European title. In a mock match, similar to the Fingerpoke of Doom
, Michaels laid down while Triple H ran around the ring and eventually pinned him for the championship.
In the beginning of 1998, Triple H exchanged the WWF European Championship with Owen Hart. At WrestleMania XIV
, Shawn Michaels was the reigning WWF Champion and Triple H was the reigning WWF European Champion. They recruited boxer
Mike Tyson
to act as the "Special Enforcer" in the main event of the night featuring Michaels against Stone Cold Steve Austin
. At the end of the match, Tyson turned on D-Generation X and cost Michaels the match.
, who had been recently fired from WCW
, and the WWF Tag Team Champions the New Age Outlaws
("Bad Ass" Billy Gunn
and The Road Dogg Jesse James
) into the stable. While the intent was for the stable to remain heels
, they became hugely popular and were eventually pushed
as fan favorites
. During this time, they feuded with the heel gimmick of The Rock and his group the Nation of Domination
and then later, Vince McMahon's Corporation
. The group remained united and hugely popular throughout 1998 and into early 1999.
On editions of Raw is War in April and May, they went to "war" with WCW, with whom the WWF were in direct competition at the time, through a series of legitimate visits to WCW headquarters and live events. On April 27, 1998, Raw is War and WCW Monday Nitro
both took place in the Hampton Roads
area of Virginia
, a mere 19 miles apart. D-Generation X, traveled from the WWF show in Hampton
to The Scope
in Norfolk
. DX, with a bullhorn in hand, shouted insults against WCW, as well as mentioning the fact that WCW gave out free tickets to fill up arenas for television, all while sporting black armbands with the acronym POWCW (Prisoner of WCW), a reference to former Kliq members and then WCW employees Scott Hall
and Kevin Nash
. They then tried to enter the arena via a loading dock, in their army jeep before being stopped by someone closing the door. They would also attempt to forceibly secure meetings with Nitro's executive producer Eric Bischoff
and WCW owner Ted Turner
at WCW headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia
. Another segment saw Triple H "fly" over an arena where WCW Nitro was taking place and skywrite "WCW Sucks" and "DX Says Suck It."
The group also feuded with the new "Corporate" Commissioner, and former DX member, Shawn Michaels who turned on the group after costing X-Pac a WWF Championship match against The Rock. The faction would continue to feud with Michaels throughout late 1998, with Michaels reversing Billy Gunn's Intercontinental Championship victory against Ken Shamrock
, costing The Outlaws the Tag Team Titles and even managing to lure the New Age Outlaws to The Corporation on the December 7 edition of Raw is War. However, the Outlaws quickly revealed this to have been a ruse, turning on The Corporation that same night. When The Corporation turned on Michaels in January 1999, he was taken in by DX once more. This too was short lived as later that night DX were instrumental in Michaels being ambushed by The Corporation, with Triple H commenting "What goes around, comes around".
Some of the groups most memorable promos were their parodies of their rivals. On July 6, 1998, DX carried out the first of these segments. In this instance, they mocked The Nation, with Triple H portraying The Rock (referred to as "The Crock"); Road Dogg playing D'Lo Brown
(referred to as "B'Lo Brown"); "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn playing The Godfather
(referred to as "The Gunnfather"); X-Pac as Mark Henry
(referred to as "Mizark Henry"); and impressionist Jason Sensation as Owen Hart
. On December 14, 1998, they would turn their attention to The Corporation with Triple H again appearing as "The Crock", Road Dogg playing Mr McMahon (with two midgets representing Gerald Brisco
and Pat Patterson kissing his behind throughout); Billy Gunn, playing Shane McMahon
wearing an adult diaper; X-Pac playing Ken Shamrock; Chyna as The Big Bossman; and Sensation returning to play Michaels. These parodies would be resurrected during the fourth incarnation.
Throughout 1999, the members gradually turned on one another. Initially, Chyna turned on Triple H and joined the Corporation on January 19. At Wrestlemania XV
Chyna then on fellow Corporation member Kane, helping Triple H to defeat him. Later that night, Triple H and Chyna interfered in X-Pac's European Championship
match with Shane McMahon. Initially, it appeared they were there to help X-Pac, but Triple H quickly turned on him, delivering a pedigree to his former stablemate, costing him the match. Chyna and Triple H would then join The Corporation, with Kane being ousted As a result, X-Pac began to share a bond with Kane, which resulted in Kane becoming associated with the faction and the duo holding the WWF Tag Team Championship twice.
Though the group maintained a united front against The Corporation, Billy Gunn became frustrated at Kane's presence and The New Age Outlaws' inability to win the Tag Team Championships from X-Pac and Kane. Following one such defeat on the April 29 edition of Smackdown, Gunn became angry at X-Pac. The following week on Sunday Night Heat he apologized to X-Pac, but attacked him when X-Pac's back was turned, citing his frustration at being "held back" and departing from D-Generation X, therefore reducing the members to just Road Dogg and X-Pac. Over the following weeks, Gunn would continue to attack X-Pac and Road Dogg, often being chased away by Kane. In July, Triple H and Chyna told Billy Gunn that Road Dogg and X-Pac were making a lot more money from D-Generation X's royalties than the other three (due to them still using the name as a tag team). This led to a tag match at Fully Loaded whereby the winners would get the rights to use the D-Generation X name, which Road Dogg and X-Pac won. Though not officially a member, upon winning the Tag Team Titles from The Acolytes on August 9, Kane, under encouragement from partner X-Pac, uttered his first words without help from a voice box, said words being "Suck it".
, stating there would be no additional members. That same night, DX were "hunted" by Austin, with Stone Cold catching Road Dogg in a bear trap, Billy Gunn in a noose, having a portion of the backstage ceiling fall on X-Pac and finally catching the whole group in a net.
From then on, Kane and X-Pac would feud, with X-Pac eventually stealing Kane's storyline "girlfriend" Tori
, on January 27, 2000, with Tori becoming a member of DX. Triple H also "married" Stephanie McMahon, who would also join the group. Throughout this period, the heel DX would feud with the likes of Austin, The Rock, Shane McMahon, Mankind/Cactus Jack, Chris Jericho
and Kane, primarily securing and protecting Triple H's WWF Championship, which he had won on January 3, 2000. They would arrive at arenas in a tour bus called "The DX Express."
Until mid-2000, DX remained a strong and united group. In early 2000, however, Billy Gunn was placed out of action for several months after suffering an injury during a match with the Dudley Boyz. On-screen, Gunn's storyline involved him getting thrown out of DX because "he lost his cool". X-Pac teamed with Road Dogg once again but the two never reached the heights the New Age Outlaws had. At WrestleMania 2000
, Vince McMahon, then a babyface, turned on The Rock and aided Triple H in retaining his title. The group was officially dubbed the McMahon-Helmsley Faction
. On March 30, X-Pac and Tori assisted Stephanie McMahon in winning the Women's Championship
from Jacquelyn
. On April 12, Steve Austin used a crane to drop a steel beam on the DX Express tour bus, crushing the bus in the parking lot.
The Rock defeated Triple H at Backlash in a match which featured Steve Austin's brief return to the WWF. Though Triple H regained the title the following month at Judgment Day, the group gradually broke apart. Road Dogg and X-Pac became frustrated by their lack of success as a tag-team and turned on each other, culminating in a match at SummerSlam
, which X-Pac won. By late 2000, Triple H had become a solo star.
On the November 6, 2000 edition of Raw is War, the group temporarily rejoined (except for X-Pac, who was injured) to take on The Radicalz
(Chris Benoit
, Eddie Guerrero
, Dean Malenko
, and Perry Saturn) in an eight-person tag team match, which DX won. The match included the group doing their old DX entrance, as well as telling the crowd to "Suck it!" It was a symbolic end to D-Generation X. Chyna, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg and K-Kwik
, Road Dogg's new tag team
partner, however, feuded with the Radicalz that month, eventually leading to a match at Survivor Series
. The Radicalz won the match.
After that, DX remained unseen and largely unspoken of until Shawn Michaels returned to WWE in 2002. On the July 22 edition of Raw at Shawn Michaels' 37th birthday, a week after the breakup of the nWo, Triple H handed Michaels a DX t-shirt and stated he "had an idea," suggesting that the two reform the group. The duo later came out that night to their old music and crotch chops to the delight of the crowd. However, Triple H turned on Shawn Michaels that same night; he had teased the reunion as a ploy to appease Michaels and lure him to the ring before giving him a Pedigree, making Triple H a villain once again. This act led to the in-ring return of Michaels at SummerSlam
and was the genesis of a long feud between the two that ended with a Triple H victory during a Hell In A Cell match at Bad Blood in 2004.
, former members Shawn Michaels and Triple H performed the crotch chop during their respective matches, which was met with loud cheering from the fans in attendance. The two continued to deliver chops in the following episodes of Raw as Michaels feuded with Vince McMahon
and Triple H focused on the WWE Championship
, repeatedly running into McMahon in the process.
On the June 12 edition of Raw, the events came to a head, when, during Triple H's gauntlet match against the Spirit Squad
, Shawn Michaels came in to help his former companion. After the duo had laid out the entire Spirit Squad, the two men began to perform their crotch chops. DX continued their brash antics at the expense of the Spirit Squad, Vince and Shane McMahon
, and Jonathan Coachman
for several weeks and repeatedly took part in blatantly camp
product placement
during Raw promos. Most of their antics now involved practical jokes on Vince.
On the June 26 edition of Raw
, they added to the list of parodies with Triple H impersonating Vince McMahon, talking about his love of "Dicks" (a double entrende referring to Dick Ebersol
, Dick Clark, and Dick Cheney
, as well as the male member), while Michaels impersonated Shane McMahon
.
On the July 3 edition of Raw, Vince banned DX from the arena; DX responded by sneaking into the production truck and performing a series of pranks on Mr. McMahon (including focusing a camera on McMahon in a public restroom [which was shown on the Raw Titantron] as well as tampering with his microphone). During their feud, DX defeated the Spirit Squad at Vengeance
and on the July 15 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, as well as The McMahons (Vince and Shane) at SummerSlam
. At Unforgiven
in a handicap Hell in a Cell match that featured The Big Show
on The McMahons' side, DX again came out victorious.
DX's next feud was with Rated-RKO
(Edge
and Randy Orton
). At Cyber Sunday
, the fans selected Eric Bischoff
over Vince McMahon and Jonathan Coachman to be the special guest referee for the match. Bischoff allowed the illegal use of a steel chair to give Rated-RKO the win. With this win, Rated-RKO became the first team to "defeat" DX in a tag team match since their reunion in June 2006. At Survivor Series
, Michaels and Triple H got back at Edge and Orton by leading Team DX (Triple H, Michaels, Matt and Jeff Hardy
, and CM Punk
) to a 5–0 sweep over Team Rated-RKO (Edge, Orton, Gregory Helms
, Johnny Nitro, and Mike Knox
). In 2007, DX challenged for the World Tag Team Championship against Edge and Orton at New Year's Revolution
. The fight ended in a no contest after Michaels hit the referee. During the match, Triple H suffered a legitimate torn quadriceps. After the match, DX beat down Rated-RKO with steel chairs and on the announce tables.
After Triple H's injury, Shawn Michaels continued to uphold the DX image by himself leading into WrestleMania 23
. Michaels would still come to the ring with the DX music and attire even though Triple H was not joining him during this period. During this time, he captured the World Tag Team championship with John Cena
as well as went on to face Cena at WrestleMania 23 for the WWE Championship. Michaels would continue to use the D-Generation X motif until after Backlash
, at which point he reverted to his traditional entrance music and attire, thus ending this incarnation of D-Generation X. Michaels and Triple H teamed up again under the D-Generation X on the January 28, 2008 episode of Raw defeating Umaga
and Snitsky
. Despite DX reforming for one night only occasions, both Triple H and Shawn Michaels have used the "crotch chop" since the one night only returns. On the September 29, 2008 edition of Raw, Triple H and Shawn Michaels reunited as DX to take on Chris Jericho
and Lance Cade
. They won by disqualification, due to Cade and Jericho attacking Michaels with a ladder. After being mocked by John Morrison and The Miz
for two weeks, on the 800th episode celebration of Raw, DX defeated the duo. During the Christmas season, DX appeared in numerous vignettes to promote DX clothing and other WWE merchandise; one such commercial also featured Kelly Kelly. In the 2009 WWE Draft
on April 13, 2009, Triple H
was drafted back to the Raw brand.
In April 2009, Michaels took a hiatus from WWE after losing to The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
. Meanwhile, Triple H was embroiled in a rivalry with Randy Orton
and The Legacy
(Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase
). The feud continued from the spring through the summer with Triple H mainly combating with Orton over the WWE Championship
. Eventually, Triple H would begin to target The Legacy because they were responsible for his losses against Orton during matches. After losing a handicap match to The Legacy, Triple H stated that he would search for Michaels in order to reunite DX. On the August 10, 2009 episode of Raw, video segments aired in which Triple H met with Michaels at an office cafeteria in Texas
where he was working as a chef; throughout the segments, Triple H would try to convince Michaels return to WWE from hiatus. After several incidents during the segments (including a grease fire and Shawn shouting at a little girl), Michaels agreed to team with Triple H to face The Legacy at SummerSlam
, superkicking the girl, and quitting from his chef job in the process.
On the August 17 episode of Raw, in St. Louis, MO, Michaels and Triple H officially reunited as DX, but as they were in the process of their in-ring promo, Legacy attacked them both. Their first match after reuniting was against Legacy at SummerSlam
, which they won. At Breaking Point
, however, they lost to Legacy in the first ever Submissions Count Anywhere match in WWE history. At the October pay-per-view Hell in Cell, DX defeated Legacy in a Hell in a Cell match. DX would challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship in a triple threat match at Survivor Series
with both men failing to win the title, although they were able to retain their friendship and tag team partnership. On December 13 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, DX defeated Jeri-Show
(Chris Jericho and Big Show) to win the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match
; the first tag team championship reign for Michaels and Triple H as a tag team.
On December 21, Triple H announced that Hornswoggle was the new DX mascot. This came about after Hornswoggle sued DX for emotional and physical distress due to them not allowing him to join DX. After being taken to court where they were ruled guilty by a jury and judge consisting of dwarves
, Michaels told Triple H that Hornswoggle could be the mascot. Triple H agreed to it only if the charges were dropped, which Hornswoggle agreed to. On January 11 Mike Tyson, who was the Raw guest host for the night, teamed with Jericho to face DX; however, at the end of the bout, Tyson turned on Jericho and aligned himself with Michaels and Triple H. On the February 8, 2010 episode of Raw, DX lost their Unified Tag Team Titles to ShoMiz (The Miz
and The Big Show
) in a Triple Threat Elimination Tag Team match also featuring The Straight Edge Society (CM Punk
and Luke Gallows
.) On the March 1 episode of Raw they lost their rematch for the titles which would be their last televised match before Michaels retired. Michaels and Triple H had a non-wrestling reunion at the 2010 Tribute to the Troops
.
When DX formed they began doing a gesture where they would put one arm on each side of their crotch and point down. This was known as the "crotch chop". There is an alternate version of the "crotch chop" where instead of pointing down on each side of their crotches, they point down and make their arms in an "X" formation, over their stomach
/crotch. According to Paul Levesque (Triple H), Vince McMahon
was hesitant to let them perform the "X" at first, but he was later talked into it.
When DX enters the ring they do a pyro routine. Green X pyrotechnics go off three times, with DX crotch-chopping at each firing. They then pause for a second, then chop once more as the pyrotechnics fire for the fourth time.
The crotch chop is used in the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire
by Jamal (Dev Patel
) after getting away from pursuing security guards and by a character in the opening scenes of the 2008 movie Knocked Up
. Fidel Edwards
, the West Indian fast bowler has on occasions used the crotch chop after taking a wicket. It has also been used by Professional Bowler
Pete Weber
after getting a strike, Weber himself is a fan of wrestling. The character Kenny Powers
in the HBO series, Eastbound & Down
also uses the gesture in a fantasy sequence where he walks through the halls of the school where he works. In a 2010 episode of Family Guy
, titled "Extra Large Medium
", a cutaway shows Spock
doing the crotch chop after he wins the lottery.
's "Let's get ready to rumble!" who routinely handled ring announcing duties in World Championship Wrestling
(WCW), the WWF's chief competitor during the mid-to-late 1990s. The routine originated in the "DX Army" era with X-Pac
, Road Dogg
, and Billy Gunn
and starts when Triple H
asks the audience "Are you ready?" He then shouts "No, [city name], I said, Are you ready?!", or "I thought this was [city name], I said, Are you ready?!", to elicit a louder reaction from the crowd. He would continue on, in a similar voice to Buffer, "Then, for the thousands in attendance, and the millions watching around the world: Let's get ready to suck it!" Following this, Road Dogg would announce a variation of "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages: D-Generation X proudly brings to you its soon-to-be/WWF Tag Team Champions of the World! The Road Dogg Jesse James, The Bad Ass Billy Gunn: The New Age Outlaws
!" depending on their status as champions. The group would then talk or posture in relation to the people they were feuding with at the time. Billy Gunn would then end the routine with "And if you're not down with that, we got two words for yah!" to which the crowd shouts "suck it!" back at them.
During the tag team revival of the group the routine was truncated so that Triple H would say his part while Shawn Michaels
would take Billy Gunn's lines to conclude it. They often would just say these two parts, with brief ad libbing, rather than lengthy speeches each time.
, there have been different incarnations of DX.
\
>The New and Improved D-Generation X (February 20, 2007, DVD
)
DX: One Last Stand (April 5, 2011, DVD
)
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
stable in WWE (previously the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment). The group originated in the midst of the WWF's "Attitude Era
The Attitude Era
The Attitude Era was a period in World Wrestling Federation and professional wrestling history that began as a direct result of the Monday Night Wars, a television ratings conflict between the WWF and longtime rival promotion World Championship Wrestling that lasted from 1995 to 2001...
" from 1997 to 2000. Their gimmick was that of a gang of rebels
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
who acted and spoke as they pleased, no matter how provocative.
After its original run with members Rick Rude, Chyna, Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
and Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, the group expanded to become a mainstay of the Attitude Era with new additions X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
, the New Age Outlaws
New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
and Tori
Terri Poch
Terri Poch is an American bodybuilder and former professional wrestler, best known for her appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Tori...
until it disbanded in August 2000. After a teased reunion in 2002, DX reformed in June 2006 as the duo of Triple H and Shawn Michaels for the remainder of the year and again in August 2009 until March 2010, shortly before Michaels' retirement. They reunited at the 2010 Tribute to the Troops for one night only.
Degenerates (1997–1998)
According to Triple H, WWF management wanted to keep The Kliq, of which he and Michaels were members, apart, so they were hesitant to pair the duo together at first. DX, however, was officially incarnated on August 11, 1997, as Michaels took on MankindMick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
in the main event of RAW is WAR. During the match, Triple H and Chyna both interfered on Michaels behalf as the two were feuding with Mankind, towards the end of the match Rick Rude returned to the WWF revealing himself as Michaels bodyguard or "Insurance Policy" after helping Michaels win the match after a chairshot to Mankind. The following week on the August 18, 1997, RAW, Michaels and Triple H teamed up to take on Mankind and The Undertaker, only to lose the match by disqualification after Michaels used a chair on Undertaker. Michaels would eventually face the Undertaker at In Your House XVII: Ground Zero on September 7, 1997, with Triple H, Chyna, & Rude all interfering on Michaels behalf at certain points during the match. Along with then-heels, Michaels, Chyna, and Triple H, Michaels' "insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
policy", Rick Rude was also an original member of the group. Triple H and Michaels united when Michaels became a villain
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
after hitting The Undertaker with a chair at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1997)
SummerSlam was the tenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 3, 1997 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.-Background:...
. Initially getting together as allies aiding Michaels in his subsequent feud with the Undertaker, DX officially got together at the One Night Only pay-per-view when Helmsley, Chyna, and Rude helped Michaels win the WWF European Championship
WWE European Championship
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, and was...
from the British Bulldog
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
.
On October 13, 1997, the group officially gave themselves the name "D-Generation X" with Shawn Michaels as the leader. Michaels' autobiography suggests that it was then-WWF head writer Vince Russo
Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
who first conceived the moniker for the faction. On-screen, however, the name was taken from Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, who claimed that Shawn Michaels, Chyna, and Triple H were nothing more than degenerates. It was also the first time they spoke their trademark slogan, "Suck it!" They were often shown on television practicing sophomoric/crude humor
Off-color humor
The term off-color humor is an Americanism used to describe jokes, prose, poems, black comedy, blue comedy, insult comedy, cringe comedy and skits that deal with topics that are considered to be in poor taste or overly vulgar by the prevailing morality of a culture...
and rebelling against authority figures in the company, primarily Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
(then an on-air color commentator) and then-Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt. Slaughter
Robert Remus , better known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is an American former WWE personality and semi-retired professional wrestler. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Slaughter had success in the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, and World Wrestling...
, the latter of which DX made a particular habit of humiliating with the group giving him the nickname of "Sgt. Slobber". D-Generation X's first feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
was against Bret Hart and his Hart Foundation. This feud ended at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1997)
Survivor Series was the eleventh annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on November 9, 1997 at the Molson Centre in Montreal, Quebec....
when Shawn Michaels won his third WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
via the Montreal Screwjob
Montreal Screwjob
The Montreal Screwjob was a controversial, purportedly real life professional wrestling event in which the owner of the World Wrestling Federation, Vince McMahon, double-crossed the defending WWF Champion, Bret Hart, during the main event match of the professional wrestling pay-per-view event...
, which came about from Bret leaving the company along with two of the remaining three members of the Foundation. The only Hart Foundation member that remained in the WWF, Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
, continued to feud with DX, specifically Triple H.
"D-Generation X" was later used as the title for a WWF In Your House
D-Generation X: In Your House
D-Generation X: In Your House was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation that took place on December 7, 1997 at the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.-WWF Light Heavyweight Championship tournament:The tournament to determine the...
pay-per-view telecast on December 7, 1997. By this point, DX's capture of the WWF Championship and European Championship as well as their 'victory' in the feud with the Hart Foundation, solidified their status as the lead stable in the company, with this pay-per-view being representative of that fact. Michaels headlined the event as he was disqualified in a WWF Championship title defense against Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
. Earlier that night, Triple H defeated Sgt. Slaughter with the help of Chyna in a Boot Camp match. On the December 11 edition of Raw is War
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
(aired December 22), however, the two were forced to wrestle each other for the European title. In a mock match, similar to the Fingerpoke of Doom
Fingerpoke of Doom
The Fingerpoke of Doom is a nickname for an infamous incident in American professional wrestling that happened on January 4, 1999 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, during a live broadcast of WCW Monday Nitro, the flagship show of World Championship Wrestling...
, Michaels laid down while Triple H ran around the ring and eventually pinned him for the championship.
In the beginning of 1998, Triple H exchanged the WWF European Championship with Owen Hart. At WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania XIV was the fourteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 29, 1998 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts....
, Shawn Michaels was the reigning WWF Champion and Triple H was the reigning WWF European Champion. They recruited boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
to act as the "Special Enforcer" in the main event of the night featuring Michaels against Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
. At the end of the match, Tyson turned on D-Generation X and cost Michaels the match.
DX Army (1998–1999)
The night after WrestleMania, Triple H ejected the absent Michaels for "dropping the ball" over the Tyson incident. In reality, Michaels had suffered a back injury and started a four year hiatus from wrestling. Triple H assumed full leadership of D-X and recruited X-PacSean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
, who had been recently fired from WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
, and the WWF Tag Team Champions the New Age Outlaws
New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
("Bad Ass" Billy Gunn
Monty Sopp
Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
and The Road Dogg Jesse James
Brian Gerard James
Brian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
) into the stable. While the intent was for the stable to remain heels
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
, they became hugely popular and were eventually pushed
Push (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a push is an attempt by the booker to make the wrestler win more matches and become more popular or more reviled with the fans depending on whether they are a heel or a face...
as fan favorites
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
. During this time, they feuded with the heel gimmick of The Rock and his group the Nation of Domination
Nation of Domination
The Nation of Domination was a professional wrestling stable in World Wrestling Federation from November 18, 1996 to November 28, 1998. The Rock was a 1 time Intercontinental Champion and D'Lo Brown was a 2 time European Champion while in the group.-United States Wrestling Association :The...
and then later, Vince McMahon's Corporation
The Corporation (professional wrestling)
The Corporation was a heel stable in the late 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation .-History:The group was put together and led by WWF Chairman Vince McMahon in an attempt to secure control of the WWF and "crush the rebels" that were popping up on the WWF landscape...
. The group remained united and hugely popular throughout 1998 and into early 1999.
On editions of Raw is War in April and May, they went to "war" with WCW, with whom the WWF were in direct competition at the time, through a series of legitimate visits to WCW headquarters and live events. On April 27, 1998, Raw is War and WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
both took place in the Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
area of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, a mere 19 miles apart. D-Generation X, traveled from the WWF show in Hampton
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
to The Scope
Norfolk Scope
Norfolk Scope is a multipurpose culture, entertainment, convention and sports arena at the northern perimeter of downtown Norfolk, Virginia, designed by Italian architect/engineer Pier Luigi Nervi in conjunction with the local firm of Williams and Tazewell...
in Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. DX, with a bullhorn in hand, shouted insults against WCW, as well as mentioning the fact that WCW gave out free tickets to fill up arenas for television, all while sporting black armbands with the acronym POWCW (Prisoner of WCW), a reference to former Kliq members and then WCW employees Scott Hall
Scott Hall
Scott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
and Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
. They then tried to enter the arena via a loading dock, in their army jeep before being stopped by someone closing the door. They would also attempt to forceibly secure meetings with Nitro's executive producer Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and WCW owner Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
at WCW headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Another segment saw Triple H "fly" over an arena where WCW Nitro was taking place and skywrite "WCW Sucks" and "DX Says Suck It."
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
, costing The Outlaws the Tag Team Titles and even managing to lure the New Age Outlaws to The Corporation on the December 7 edition of Raw is War. However, the Outlaws quickly revealed this to have been a ruse, turning on The Corporation that same night. When The Corporation turned on Michaels in January 1999, he was taken in by DX once more. This too was short lived as later that night DX were instrumental in Michaels being ambushed by The Corporation, with Triple H commenting "What goes around, comes around".
Some of the groups most memorable promos were their parodies of their rivals. On July 6, 1998, DX carried out the first of these segments. In this instance, they mocked The Nation, with Triple H portraying The Rock (referred to as "The Crock"); Road Dogg playing D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
(referred to as "B'Lo Brown"); "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn playing The Godfather
Charles Wright
Charles Wright may refer to:*Charles Wright , American botanist*Charles Frederick Wright , U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania*Charles Wright , Nottinghamshire and England cricketer*C. S...
(referred to as "The Gunnfather"); X-Pac as Mark Henry
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic...
(referred to as "Mizark Henry"); and impressionist Jason Sensation as Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
. On December 14, 1998, they would turn their attention to The Corporation with Triple H again appearing as "The Crock", Road Dogg playing Mr McMahon (with two midgets representing Gerald Brisco
Gerald Brisco
Floyd Gerald "Jerry" Brisco is a former American professional wrestler, and prior to June, 2009, worked as a road agent for WWE on its Raw brand....
and Pat Patterson kissing his behind throughout); Billy Gunn, playing Shane McMahon
Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon is an American executive, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of YOU On Demand. A former executive and professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment , he is the son of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and former US Senate candidate Linda...
wearing an adult diaper; X-Pac playing Ken Shamrock; Chyna as The Big Bossman; and Sensation returning to play Michaels. These parodies would be resurrected during the fourth incarnation.
Throughout 1999, the members gradually turned on one another. Initially, Chyna turned on Triple H and joined the Corporation on January 19. At Wrestlemania XV
WrestleMania XV
WrestleMania XV was the fifteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 28, 1999 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
Chyna then on fellow Corporation member Kane, helping Triple H to defeat him. Later that night, Triple H and Chyna interfered in X-Pac's European Championship
WWE European Championship
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, and was...
match with Shane McMahon. Initially, it appeared they were there to help X-Pac, but Triple H quickly turned on him, delivering a pedigree to his former stablemate, costing him the match. Chyna and Triple H would then join The Corporation, with Kane being ousted As a result, X-Pac began to share a bond with Kane, which resulted in Kane becoming associated with the faction and the duo holding the WWF Tag Team Championship twice.
Though the group maintained a united front against The Corporation, Billy Gunn became frustrated at Kane's presence and The New Age Outlaws' inability to win the Tag Team Championships from X-Pac and Kane. Following one such defeat on the April 29 edition of Smackdown, Gunn became angry at X-Pac. The following week on Sunday Night Heat he apologized to X-Pac, but attacked him when X-Pac's back was turned, citing his frustration at being "held back" and departing from D-Generation X, therefore reducing the members to just Road Dogg and X-Pac. Over the following weeks, Gunn would continue to attack X-Pac and Road Dogg, often being chased away by Kane. In July, Triple H and Chyna told Billy Gunn that Road Dogg and X-Pac were making a lot more money from D-Generation X's royalties than the other three (due to them still using the name as a tag team). This led to a tag match at Fully Loaded whereby the winners would get the rights to use the D-Generation X name, which Road Dogg and X-Pac won. Though not officially a member, upon winning the Tag Team Titles from The Acolytes on August 9, Kane, under encouragement from partner X-Pac, uttered his first words without help from a voice box, said words being "Suck it".
McMahon-Helmsley Era (1999–2000)
On October 25, the group reformed as villains when Triple H and X-Pac helped the New Age Outlaws – who had reunited a month previously – defeat Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. On that week's Smackdown, X-Pac suggested that DX would get "bigger," hinting that Kane would finally become an official member. However, later that night, he turned on Kane following a match with the Dudley BoyzDudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
, stating there would be no additional members. That same night, DX were "hunted" by Austin, with Stone Cold catching Road Dogg in a bear trap, Billy Gunn in a noose, having a portion of the backstage ceiling fall on X-Pac and finally catching the whole group in a net.
From then on, Kane and X-Pac would feud, with X-Pac eventually stealing Kane's storyline "girlfriend" Tori
Terri Poch
Terri Poch is an American bodybuilder and former professional wrestler, best known for her appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Tori...
, on January 27, 2000, with Tori becoming a member of DX. Triple H also "married" Stephanie McMahon, who would also join the group. Throughout this period, the heel DX would feud with the likes of Austin, The Rock, Shane McMahon, Mankind/Cactus Jack, Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
and Kane, primarily securing and protecting Triple H's WWF Championship, which he had won on January 3, 2000. They would arrive at arenas in a tour bus called "The DX Express."
Until mid-2000, DX remained a strong and united group. In early 2000, however, Billy Gunn was placed out of action for several months after suffering an injury during a match with the Dudley Boyz. On-screen, Gunn's storyline involved him getting thrown out of DX because "he lost his cool". X-Pac teamed with Road Dogg once again but the two never reached the heights the New Age Outlaws had. At WrestleMania 2000
WrestleMania 2000
WrestleMania 2000 was the sixteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 2, 2000 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California...
, Vince McMahon, then a babyface, turned on The Rock and aided Triple H in retaining his title. The group was officially dubbed the McMahon-Helmsley Faction
McMahon-Helmsley Faction
The McMahon-Helmsley Faction was a large heel stable in the World Wrestling Federation which was founded in late 1999, had mostly faded away by early 2001 and finally ended in mid-2002...
. On March 30, X-Pac and Tori assisted Stephanie McMahon in winning the Women's Championship
WWE Women's Championship
The WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
from Jacquelyn
Jacqueline Moore
Jacqueline DeLois Moore is an inactive American professional wrestler, who was most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. On April 12, Steve Austin used a crane to drop a steel beam on the DX Express tour bus, crushing the bus in the parking lot.
The Rock defeated Triple H at Backlash in a match which featured Steve Austin's brief return to the WWF. Though Triple H regained the title the following month at Judgment Day, the group gradually broke apart. Road Dogg and X-Pac became frustrated by their lack of success as a tag-team and turned on each other, culminating in a match at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2000)
SummerSlam was the thirteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event took place on August 27, 2000 at the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina....
, which X-Pac won. By late 2000, Triple H had become a solo star.
On the November 6, 2000 edition of Raw is War, the group temporarily rejoined (except for X-Pac, who was injured) to take on The Radicalz
The Radicalz
The Radicalz were a professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation . Their members were former World Championship Wrestling performers Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko. Terri Runnels later joined the group by proxy after becoming Saturn's onscreen...
(Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
, Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
, Dean Malenko
Dean Malenko
Dean Simon is a retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Dean Malenko. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling , New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling...
, and Perry Saturn) in an eight-person tag team match, which DX won. The match included the group doing their old DX entrance, as well as telling the crowd to "Suck it!" It was a symbolic end to D-Generation X. Chyna, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg and K-Kwik
Ron Killings
Ronald Aaron "Ron" Killings is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE working on its Raw brand. Since working for the company, he has been a one time United States Champion under the ring name R-Truth and a two time Hardcore Champion under the ring name K-Kwik...
, Road Dogg's new tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
partner, however, feuded with the Radicalz that month, eventually leading to a match at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2000)
Survivor Series was the fourteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on November 19, 2000 at the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida....
. The Radicalz won the match.
After that, DX remained unseen and largely unspoken of until Shawn Michaels returned to WWE in 2002. On the July 22 edition of Raw at Shawn Michaels' 37th birthday, a week after the breakup of the nWo, Triple H handed Michaels a DX t-shirt and stated he "had an idea," suggesting that the two reform the group. The duo later came out that night to their old music and crotch chops to the delight of the crowd. However, Triple H turned on Shawn Michaels that same night; he had teased the reunion as a ploy to appease Michaels and lure him to the ring before giving him a Pedigree, making Triple H a villain once again. This act led to the in-ring return of Michaels at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2002)
SummerSlam was the fifteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on August 25, 2002 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York....
and was the genesis of a long feud between the two that ended with a Triple H victory during a Hell In A Cell match at Bad Blood in 2004.
Tag Team (2006–2007; 2009–2010)
In 2006, a series of events occurred which hinted at a DX reunion. At WrestleMania 22WrestleMania 22
Notes: .The predominant feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Kurt Angle, Rey Mysterio, and Randy Orton over the World Heavyweight Championship. Mysterio won the 2006 Royal Rumble match, last eliminating Orton, to earn a World Championship match at WrestleMania. At No Way Out, Orton defeated...
, former members Shawn Michaels and Triple H performed the crotch chop during their respective matches, which was met with loud cheering from the fans in attendance. The two continued to deliver chops in the following episodes of Raw as Michaels feuded with Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and Triple H focused on the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
, repeatedly running into McMahon in the process.
Spirit Squad
The Spirit Squad was a professional wrestling stable in World Wrestling Entertainment and Ohio Valley Wrestling that consisted of Kenny, Johnny, Mitch, Nicky, and Mikey. The team's ring personas were those of an all-male cheerleading squad....
, Shawn Michaels came in to help his former companion. After the duo had laid out the entire Spirit Squad, the two men began to perform their crotch chops. DX continued their brash antics at the expense of the Spirit Squad, Vince and Shane McMahon
Team McMahon
Team McMahon, also known as The McMahons in appropriate general reference to the family involved, is the name of a familial alliance in World Wrestling Entertainment , usually on its Raw brand and consisting of WWE chairman/majority owner Vince McMahon, his son Shane, and at least one wrestler...
, and Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan William Coachman , also known as "The Coach", is a former professional wrestling color commentator and authority figure. He is also a former college basketball player, and football play-by-play announcer...
for several weeks and repeatedly took part in blatantly camp
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
during Raw promos. Most of their antics now involved practical jokes on Vince.
On the June 26 edition of Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, they added to the list of parodies with Triple H impersonating Vince McMahon, talking about his love of "Dicks" (a double entrende referring to Dick Ebersol
Dick Ebersol
Duncan "Dick" Ebersol is an American television executive and a senior adviser for . He had previously been the chairman of NBC Sports, producing large scale television events such as the Olympic Games and National Football League broadcasts....
, Dick Clark, and Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
, as well as the male member), while Michaels impersonated Shane McMahon
Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon is an American executive, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of YOU On Demand. A former executive and professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment , he is the son of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and former US Senate candidate Linda...
.
On the July 3 edition of Raw, Vince banned DX from the arena; DX responded by sneaking into the production truck and performing a series of pranks on Mr. McMahon (including focusing a camera on McMahon in a public restroom [which was shown on the Raw Titantron] as well as tampering with his microphone). During their feud, DX defeated the Spirit Squad at Vengeance
Vengeance (2006)
Vengeance was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on June 25, 2006 at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was the sixth annual Vengeance event. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured on the...
and on the July 15 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, as well as The McMahons (Vince and Shane) at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2006)
SummerSlam was the nineteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on August 20, 2006 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, and featured performers from the Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW brands...
. At Unforgiven
Unforgiven (2006)
Unforgiven was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on September 17, 2006 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. It was the eighth annual Unforgiven event. The show's seven matches showcased prominent WWE wrestlers, who...
in a handicap Hell in a Cell match that featured The Big Show
Paul Wight
Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
on The McMahons' side, DX again came out victorious.
DX's next feud was with Rated-RKO
Rated-RKO
Rated-RKO was a villainous professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Entertainment based on the Raw brand. The team consisted of Edge, Randy Orton, and Lita, their valet...
(Edge
Adam Copeland
Adam Joseph Copeland is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract....
and Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
). At Cyber Sunday
Cyber Sunday (2006)
Cyber Sunday was the first annual Cyber Sunday professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on November 5, 2006 at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, with 7,000 fans attending...
, the fans selected Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
over Vince McMahon and Jonathan Coachman to be the special guest referee for the match. Bischoff allowed the illegal use of a steel chair to give Rated-RKO the win. With this win, Rated-RKO became the first team to "defeat" DX in a tag team match since their reunion in June 2006. At Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2006)
Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was the twentieth annual Survivor Series event, and it took place on November 26, 2006 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The main match on the SmackDown brand was King...
, Michaels and Triple H got back at Edge and Orton by leading Team DX (Triple H, Michaels, Matt and Jeff Hardy
Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
, and CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
) to a 5–0 sweep over Team Rated-RKO (Edge, Orton, Gregory Helms
Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
, Johnny Nitro, and Mike Knox
Mike Knox
Michael Shawn Hettinga is a American professional wrestler. He is best known for wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment as Mike Knox. He is also an avid fisherman, and fishes in his spare time.-Independent circuit :...
). In 2007, DX challenged for the World Tag Team Championship against Edge and Orton at New Year's Revolution
New Year's Revolution (2007)
New Year's Revolution was the third annual and final New Year's Revolution professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on January 7, 2007 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri and featured wrestlers and other talent from WWE's Raw brand...
. The fight ended in a no contest after Michaels hit the referee. During the match, Triple H suffered a legitimate torn quadriceps. After the match, DX beat down Rated-RKO with steel chairs and on the announce tables.
After Triple H's injury, Shawn Michaels continued to uphold the DX image by himself leading into WrestleMania 23
WrestleMania 23
WrestleMania 23 was the twenty-third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 1, 2007 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan...
. Michaels would still come to the ring with the DX music and attire even though Triple H was not joining him during this period. During this time, he captured the World Tag Team championship with John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
as well as went on to face Cena at WrestleMania 23 for the WWE Championship. Michaels would continue to use the D-Generation X motif until after Backlash
Backlash (2007)
Backlash was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 29, 2007 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Following WrestleMania, all pay-per-views became tri-branded...
, at which point he reverted to his traditional entrance music and attire, thus ending this incarnation of D-Generation X. Michaels and Triple H teamed up again under the D-Generation X on the January 28, 2008 episode of Raw defeating Umaga
Eddie Fatu
Edward Smith "Eki" Fatu was a Samoan-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Umaga...
and Snitsky
Gene Snitsky
Eugene Alan "Gene" Snisky is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Snitsky, who is best known for his time spent with World Wrestling Entertainment. He had played college football at the University of Missouri and was on the pre-season roster in 1995 for the Birmingham Barracudas...
. Despite DX reforming for one night only occasions, both Triple H and Shawn Michaels have used the "crotch chop" since the one night only returns. On the September 29, 2008 edition of Raw, Triple H and Shawn Michaels reunited as DX to take on Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
and Lance Cade
Lance Cade
Lance Kurtis McNaught was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment where he performed under the ring names Garrison Cade and Lance Cade....
. They won by disqualification, due to Cade and Jericho attacking Michaels with a ladder. After being mocked by John Morrison and The Miz
John Morrison and The Miz
John Morrison and The Miz were a professional wrestling tag team and former WWE Tough Enough contestants. The team worked for World Wrestling Entertainment on its ECW brand, but also appeared on the SmackDown and Raw brands due to ECW's talent exchanges with those brands during their tenure as a team...
for two weeks, on the 800th episode celebration of Raw, DX defeated the duo. During the Christmas season, DX appeared in numerous vignettes to promote DX clothing and other WWE merchandise; one such commercial also featured Kelly Kelly. In the 2009 WWE Draft
2009 WWE Draft
The 2009 World Wrestling Entertainment Draft was the seventh Draft produced by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. The Draft took place over two days: the first day was televised live for three hours on April 13; the second part, the "Supplemental Draft", was held on April 15...
on April 13, 2009, Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
was drafted back to the Raw brand.
In April 2009, Michaels took a hiatus from WWE after losing to The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
WrestleMania XXV
WrestleMania XXV was the twenty-fifth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 5, 2009 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas...
. Meanwhile, Triple H was embroiled in a rivalry with Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
and The Legacy
The Legacy (professional wrestling)
The Legacy was a villainous alliance of professional wrestlers in World Wrestling Entertainment. The group was led by Randy Orton and contained the tag team of Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase....
(Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase, Jr.
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor signed with WWE, where he appears on its SmackDown brand...
). The feud continued from the spring through the summer with Triple H mainly combating with Orton over the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. Eventually, Triple H would begin to target The Legacy because they were responsible for his losses against Orton during matches. After losing a handicap match to The Legacy, Triple H stated that he would search for Michaels in order to reunite DX. On the August 10, 2009 episode of Raw, video segments aired in which Triple H met with Michaels at an office cafeteria in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
where he was working as a chef; throughout the segments, Triple H would try to convince Michaels return to WWE from hiatus. After several incidents during the segments (including a grease fire and Shawn shouting at a little girl), Michaels agreed to team with Triple H to face The Legacy at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2009)
SummerSlam was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on August 23, 2009 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. It was the 22nd annual SummerSlam event and featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brands...
, superkicking the girl, and quitting from his chef job in the process.
On the August 17 episode of Raw, in St. Louis, MO, Michaels and Triple H officially reunited as DX, but as they were in the process of their in-ring promo, Legacy attacked them both. Their first match after reuniting was against Legacy at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2009)
SummerSlam was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on August 23, 2009 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. It was the 22nd annual SummerSlam event and featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brands...
, which they won. At Breaking Point
WWE Breaking Point
Breaking Point was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on September 13, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brands. The name of the event was voted by fans via...
, however, they lost to Legacy in the first ever Submissions Count Anywhere match in WWE history. At the October pay-per-view Hell in Cell, DX defeated Legacy in a Hell in a Cell match. DX would challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship in a triple threat match at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2009)
Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on November 22, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.. It was the 23rd annual Survivor Series event. It featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown and ECW brands...
with both men failing to win the title, although they were able to retain their friendship and tag team partnership. On December 13 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, DX defeated Jeri-Show
Jeri-Show
Jeri-Show was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Chris Jericho and Big Show, which competed in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion...
(Chris Jericho and Big Show) to win the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match
Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match
A Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, often abbreviated as a TLC, is a type of professional wrestling match originated within WWE, but can be seen under different variations in other wrestling promotions....
; the first tag team championship reign for Michaels and Triple H as a tag team.
On December 21, Triple H announced that Hornswoggle was the new DX mascot. This came about after Hornswoggle sued DX for emotional and physical distress due to them not allowing him to join DX. After being taken to court where they were ruled guilty by a jury and judge consisting of dwarves
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
, Michaels told Triple H that Hornswoggle could be the mascot. Triple H agreed to it only if the charges were dropped, which Hornswoggle agreed to. On January 11 Mike Tyson, who was the Raw guest host for the night, teamed with Jericho to face DX; however, at the end of the bout, Tyson turned on Jericho and aligned himself with Michaels and Triple H. On the February 8, 2010 episode of Raw, DX lost their Unified Tag Team Titles to ShoMiz (The Miz
Mike Mizanin
Michael "Mike" Gregory Mizanin is an American professional wrestler and reality television personality better known by his nickname and ring name The Miz. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment on its Raw brand...
and The Big Show
Paul Wight
Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
) in a Triple Threat Elimination Tag Team match also featuring The Straight Edge Society (CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
and Luke Gallows
Drew Hankinson
Andrew "Drew" Hankinson is an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment , where he appeared under the ring names Festus and Luke Gallows...
.) On the March 1 episode of Raw they lost their rematch for the titles which would be their last televised match before Michaels retired. Michaels and Triple H had a non-wrestling reunion at the 2010 Tribute to the Troops
WWE Tribute to the Troops
WWE Tribute to the Troops is an annual event held by WWE together with Armed Forces Entertainment in December around Christmas since 2003 as a way of honoring the men and women of the United States armed forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Selected WWE wrestlers and employees travel to the said...
.
Crotch chop
Stomach
The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
/crotch. According to Paul Levesque (Triple H), Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
was hesitant to let them perform the "X" at first, but he was later talked into it.
When DX enters the ring they do a pyro routine. Green X pyrotechnics go off three times, with DX crotch-chopping at each firing. They then pause for a second, then chop once more as the pyrotechnics fire for the fourth time.
The crotch chop is used in the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British epic romantic drama adventure film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
by Jamal (Dev Patel
Dev Patel
Dev Patel is a British actor. He is best known for playing Jamal Malik in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire , for which Patel won a number of awards, including a Critics' Choice Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award...
) after getting away from pursuing security guards and by a character in the opening scenes of the 2008 movie Knocked Up
Knocked Up
Knocked Up is a 2007 American romantic comedy drama film co-produced, written, and directed by Judd Apatow. Starring Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann, the film follows the repercussions of a drunken one-night stand between Rogen's slacker character and Heigl's just-promoted...
. Fidel Edwards
Fidel Edwards
Fidel Henderson Edwards is a West Indian cricketer and is the half brother of Pedro Collins. A pace bowler, his slingshot action greatly resembles that of former fast bowling great Jeff Thomson. He bowls fast, can swing the ball and get reverse swing, but insists that he does not go for...
, the West Indian fast bowler has on occasions used the crotch chop after taking a wicket. It has also been used by Professional Bowler
Professional Bowlers Association
The Professional Bowlers Association is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in the United States. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the PBA membership consists of almost 4,300 members worldwide...
Pete Weber
Pete Weber
Peter David "Pete" Weber, nicknamed “PDW”, , is a famous bowling professional on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. Weber is one of the sport's most popular active players and is well known for his maverick, rebellious personality...
after getting a strike, Weber himself is a fan of wrestling. The character Kenny Powers
Kenny Powers
Kenny Powers is the fictional main character from the HBO television series Eastbound and Down, played by American actor Danny McBride. Powers is portrayed as a once dominant baseball pitcher, whose poor work ethic and short temper jeopardized his professional career...
in the HBO series, Eastbound & Down
Eastbound & Down
Eastbound & Down is an American comedy television series broadcast on HBO, starring Danny McBride as Kenny Powers, a former professional baseball pitcher, who after an up and down career in the major leagues is forced to return to his hometown middle-school in Shelby, North Carolina, as a...
also uses the gesture in a fantasy sequence where he walks through the halls of the school where he works. In a 2010 episode of Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, titled "Extra Large Medium
Extra Large Medium
"Extra Large Medium" is the twelfth episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. Directed by John Holmquist and written by Steve Callaghan, the episode originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 14, 2010...
", a cutaway shows Spock
Spock
Spock is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
doing the crotch chop after he wins the lottery.
Suck it!
"Suck it!" is DX's signature slogan. This is also used in their popular "Let's get ready to suck it!" comment, originally a parody of Michael BufferMichael Buffer
Michael Buffer is an American professional ring announcer for boxing and professional wrestling matches. He is known for his trademarked catchphrase, "Let's get ready to rumble!" He is known for pioneering a distinct announcing style in which he rolls certain letters and adds other inflections to...
's "Let's get ready to rumble!" who routinely handled ring announcing duties in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW), the WWF's chief competitor during the mid-to-late 1990s. The routine originated in the "DX Army" era with X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
, Road Dogg
Brian Gerard James
Brian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
, and Billy Gunn
Monty Sopp
Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
and starts when Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
asks the audience "Are you ready?" He then shouts "No, [city name], I said, Are you ready?!", or "I thought this was [city name], I said, Are you ready?!", to elicit a louder reaction from the crowd. He would continue on, in a similar voice to Buffer, "Then, for the thousands in attendance, and the millions watching around the world: Let's get ready to suck it!" Following this, Road Dogg would announce a variation of "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages: D-Generation X proudly brings to you its soon-to-be/WWF Tag Team Champions of the World! The Road Dogg Jesse James, The Bad Ass Billy Gunn: The New Age Outlaws
New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
!" depending on their status as champions. The group would then talk or posture in relation to the people they were feuding with at the time. Billy Gunn would then end the routine with "And if you're not down with that, we got two words for yah!" to which the crowd shouts "suck it!" back at them.
During the tag team revival of the group the routine was truncated so that Triple H would say his part while Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
would take Billy Gunn's lines to conclude it. They often would just say these two parts, with brief ad libbing, rather than lengthy speeches each time.
Incarnations
Throughout the years of World Wrestling Federation/EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, there have been different incarnations of DX.
- First incarnation (HeelsHeel (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
):- Type: Stable
- Active: August 11, 1997 – March 29, 1998 (WrestleMania XIVWrestleMania XIVWrestleMania XIV was the fourteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 29, 1998 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts....
) - Members: Shawn MichaelsShawn MichaelsMichael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
(leader), Rick Rude (left in November 1997), Triple HTriple HPaul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
, Chyna - Associated members: New Age OutlawsNew Age OutlawsThe New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
(Road DoggBrian Gerard JamesBrian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
and Billy GunnMonty SoppMonty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
) and Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
- Second incarnation (Tweeners, eventually FacesFace (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
):- Type: Stable
- Active: March 30, 1998 – July 25, 1999 (Fully Loaded)
- Members: Triple H (leader) (left in March 1999), Chyna (left in January 1999), X-PacSean WaltmanSean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
, and the New Age OutlawsNew Age OutlawsThe New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
(Road DoggBrian Gerard JamesBrian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
Billy GunnMonty SoppMonty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
and Jason Sensation (Appearing multiple times in 1998 while under WWF Contract) - Associated members: Kane
- Third incarnation (Heels):
- Type: Stable
- Active: October 25, 1999 – December 12, 2000
- Members: Triple H (leader), X-Pac, the New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn; Gunn left due to injury in February 2000) and ToriTerri PochTerri Poch is an American bodybuilder and former professional wrestler, best known for her appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Tori...
- Associated members: Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley
- Fourth incarnation (Faces):
- Type: Tag teamTag teamTag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
- Active: June 12, 2006 – January 7, 2007; August 10, 2009 – March 1, 2010
- Members: Triple H and Shawn Michaels.
- Associated members: John CenaJohn CenaJohn Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
, Ric FlairRic FlairRichard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
and Hornswoggle (mascot)
- Type: Tag team
In wrestling
- New Age Outlaws double team finishing moves
- Double flapjack dropped into a hangman
- Spike piledriver
- Outlaw Driver (Spike brainbuster)
- Triple H & Shawn Michaels double team finishing moves
- X-Mark (Sweet Chin Music (Michaels) / Pedigree (Triple H) combination)
- Triple H performing the Pedigree, with Michaels pushing down on the victim for extra force
- Triple H & Shawn Michaels double-team signature moves
- Double DDT
- Facebreaker knee smash by Triple H into an inverted atomic drop by Michaels
- Sharpshooter / Crossface combination
- Spinning spinebuster by Triple H followed by a diving elbow drop by Michaels
- Triple H throwing Michaels over the top ropes, with Michaels performing a senton
- Billy Gunn's finishing moves
- Fame–Ass–er/Famouser (Leg drop bulldog)
- Chyna's finishing moves
- DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
- Low blow
- Pedigree (Double underhook facebuster)
- DDT
- Road Dogg's finishing moves
- Pumphandle falling powerslam
- Running knee drop, with theatrics
- Shake, Rattle and Roll (Three left-handed jabsJabA jab is a type of punch used in the martial arts.Several variations of the jab exist, but every jab shares these characteristics: while in a fighting stance, the lead fist is thrown straight ahead and the arm is fully extended...
followed by a right-handed punch with theatrics)
- Shawn Michaels' finishing moves
- Modified figure four leglock
- Sweet Chin Music (Superkick with theatrics)
- Triple H's finishing moves
- Pedigree (Double underhook facebuster)
- X-Pac's finishing moves
- X-Factor (Sitout facebuster, sometimes from the top rope)
- Tori's finishing moves
- Tori–Plex (Fallaway powerbomb)
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Break It DownWWF The Music, Vol. 3WWF The Music, Vol. 3 is a compilation album released by the World Wrestling Federation in 1998. It features mostly recent theme tunes of wrestlers on the roster at the time. All of the songs were produced by Jim Johnston; although, a few themes were performed by other bands. This is also the first...
" by The DX BandChris Warren (musician)Christopher Warren is an American musician who has performed in numerous bands. He is currently the singer in...
(August 11 1997–December 12 2000, July 22 2002, June 12 2006–January 7 2007, August 10 2009–March 1 2010) - "The KingsWWF AggressionWWF Aggression is a compilation album released by the WWF in 2000. It features rap artists performing versions of each wrestler's entrance music...
" by Run–D.M.C. (May 2000–June 2000)
- "Break It Down
Championships and accomplishments
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWE Tag Team ChampionshipWWE Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWE Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in WWE. It was established as a second title for tag teams in WWE in 2002 to complement the original World Tag Team Championship...
(1 time) – Triple H and Shawn Michaels - WWF ChampionshipWWE ChampionshipThe WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
(3 times) – Shawn Michaels (1) and Triple H (2) - WWF European ChampionshipWWE European ChampionshipThe WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, and was...
(5 times) – Shawn Michaels (1), Triple H (2) and X-Pac (2) - WWF Hardcore ChampionshipWWE Hardcore ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship is a hardcore wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and is contested under "hardcore" rules, meaning there is no disqualifications, no countouts, and pin falls could be counted anywhere...
(2 times) – Road Dogg (1) and Billy Gunn (1) - WWF Intercontinental ChampionshipWWE Intercontinental ChampionshipThe WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
(3 times) – Triple H (2) and Road Dogg (1) - WWF/World Tag Team Championship (7 times) – (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) (4), X-Pac and Kane (2) and Triple H and Shawn Michaels (1)
- WWF Women's ChampionshipWWE Women's ChampionshipThe WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
(1 time) – Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley
- WWE Tag Team Championship
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Worst Feud of the Year (2006)
- WrestleSlam Awards
- Tag Team of the Year (2009)
Media
- WWF – D-Generation X (1998, VHSVHSThe Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
) - WWE – D-Generation X (June 2, 2006, DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
)- Identical to the VHS product with the exception of added censorship of profanity and nudity.
\
>The New and Improved D-Generation X (February 20, 2007, DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
)
-
- The DVD includes the early hints of the fourth incarnation from WrestleMania, through the skits, promos, chaos, and matches that reunited the duo, making life miserable for Mr. McMahon. This DVD has all the DX highlights including backstage interviews and segments, their imitation of the McMahons, the hijacking of the Raw production truck, taking over Raw for a night, and vandalizing WWE's property. It is also notable as being one of the few recent WWE Home Video releases that is kayfabeKayfabeIn professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
-based as opposed to showing real-life stories behind the wrestlers.
- The DVD includes the early hints of the fourth incarnation from WrestleMania, through the skits, promos, chaos, and matches that reunited the duo, making life miserable for Mr. McMahon. This DVD has all the DX highlights including backstage interviews and segments, their imitation of the McMahons, the hijacking of the Raw production truck, taking over Raw for a night, and vandalizing WWE's property. It is also notable as being one of the few recent WWE Home Video releases that is kayfabe
- The two team members have their faces on the cover of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by THQ for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Wii, and Xbox 360 video game consoles. It is the tenth video game in the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw series, and is the...
DX: One Last Stand (April 5, 2011, DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
)
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- This DVD features all of the final DX vignettes that aired on RAW from August 2009 to March 2010, including Shawn Michaels' farewell speech from Monday Night RAW, the night after Wrestlemania 26, presented in its entirety, thus officially ending Degeneration X.
See also
- The Kliq
- McMahon-Helmsley FactionMcMahon-Helmsley FactionThe McMahon-Helmsley Faction was a large heel stable in the World Wrestling Federation which was founded in late 1999, had mostly faded away by early 2001 and finally ended in mid-2002...
- New Age OutlawsNew Age OutlawsThe New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
- New World Order (professional wrestling)New World Order (professional wrestling)The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...